Selenow - selenoprotein W

This gene encodes a selenoprotein containing a selenocysteine (Sec) residue, which is encoded by the UGA codon that normally signals translation termination. The 3' UTRs of selenoprotein mRNAs contain a conserved stem-loop structure, the Sec insertion sequence (SECIS) element that is necessary for the recognition of UGA as a Sec codon rather than as a stop signal. This protein is highly expressed in skeletal muscle and brain. It belongs to the SelWTH family, which possesses a thioredoxin-like fold and a conserved CxxU (C is cysteine, U is Sec) motif, and has been shown to function as a glutathione-dependent antioxidant in vivo. Studies in mouse suggest that this selenoprotein is involved in muscle growth and differentiation, and in the protection of neurons from oxidative stress during neuronal development. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2017]